“I have been farming in the oasis since the 70s. That has been my lifestyle since I recall. Water was and still, if I am lucky to perceive some, the essential element to pursue such a lifestyle.”
“Our Draa river got replaced by the road” Expressed by two generations.
“I am not a farmer, but I have been working on this farm for some time now. I work on palm trees. They require a lot of care and need water at specific times. The variety of dates each palm tree is giving determines the amount of water it needs and when. Date branches can get heavy, and so a part of the care is to support and protect these branches until harvest time.”
“Earth material plays a major role in local traditional building techniques of the Draa Valley. It is used in many different situations, which proves to be the most suitable material for an effective response to the warm and dry climate of the place.”
“I am a farmer and a land agent in my area. Agriculture is good and water is abundant and provided for all the local inhabitants. Agriculture is the main source of food and income in the area, however, flooding risk is high and probable to happen anytime and destroy all that we live from.”
“Sunset in the Middle Draa Valley”
“Water being pumped from a well to a small storage basin.”
“Local people along the Draa River Basin were and still warm, welcoming, and generous with people visiting or studying the area.”
“Livestock is among the common activities local people exercise daily in the Draa River Basin.”
“Salt”
“Rivers are flowing through the dry desert, supporting life in this arid climate by providing water”
“If the water ceases to flow in the dry season, it leaves white crusts of salt behind”
“Faija”
“In the Middle Draa Valley, next to Zagora city, there is a big plain (1,000 km2) known as “Feija”. It is located between two mountains (Jbel Boukhachba in the North and Jbel Boujniba in the South) and it is a very dry place most parts of the year. However, when the rains finally come, the runoff from the mountains accumulates on the plain and the Feija River comes to life, giving rise to a breath-taking spectacle of nature.”
“Faija”
“The contrast between the landscape in Feija and in the oases”
“Sunset in Faija”
“Ait Ben Haddou, one of the most interesting cultural heritages in the Draa region, and in the Upper Draa basin specifically.”
“Salidraajuj socio-economic research group”
”Salidraajuj ecologica research group”